The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam

¶ 01 [6.02 p.m.]

¶ 02 Hon. Presiding Member, I move the following Adjournment Motion:

¶ 03 “During the previous Government, liquor shop permits were issued island-wide as bribes, as publicly stated by the current President on political platforms. While many development measures are needed to promote tourism in the North and East, we consistently opposed the issuance of such liquor licences. Despite this, under the present Government, steps are reportedly being taken to open a liquor shop in Periya Nilavanai, Ampara.

¶ 04 A massive public protest took place last Saturday against this. The Hon. Minister of Health, Nalinda Jayatissa, tabled in Parliament a list of large numbers of liquor shop permits allegedly issued to politicians of the previous Government as bribes. However, the names of the recommending politicians have not been disclosed, nor have any steps been taken by the current Government to cancel or appropriately act upon such unlawfully issued licences.

¶ 05 An increase in liquor shops leads to higher alcohol consumption in those areas, adversely affecting the people’s economic conditions.

¶ 06 Accordingly, I draw the attention of this Hon. House to ensure that the election promises are fulfilled by taking appropriate steps to cancel the liquor shop permits for Periya Nilavanai, Ampara.”

¶ 07 During the last election, today’s President stated onstage that liquor shop permits were issued as bribes. We already knew of such approaches—we too were asked whether we wanted such permits, and we refused.

¶ 08 They also claimed that licences in the North and East were to “develop tourism.” I have often said the only white man you see in Batticaloa is me—because without transport infrastructure, tourists do not come. You cannot develop tourism merely by issuing liquor licences in areas where tourists do not visit.

¶ 09 In Batticaloa District, when they said they would open around eight liquor shops, we organized protests and pressured Divisional Secretaries; only one was opened, and that as a restaurant in a single locality. Beyond that, we did not allow more. Yet now, after the NPP Government has come to power, steps are being taken to open a liquor outlet in Periya Nilavanai, Ampara. These may be permits granted earlier—possibly as bribes—but now action is moving to operationalize them.

¶ 10 On 4 December, Hon. Nalinda Jayatissa tabled a list here showing the locations, names, and addresses of bars granted permits. Through RTI, anyone can obtain those details. There is no need for the Government to facilitate opening newly listed bars. On that same day, I asked who issued these permits, whether the names of the recommending politicians would be disclosed, and who is conducting the investigations—CID, Police, CIABOC, or the Presidential Secretariat? No answers yet, yet those bars are proceeding to open.

¶ 11 I state clearly: if these were issued as bribes, they must be referred to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption and cancelled. In the North and East, for example, in Kilinochchi District, there is one bar per 5,000 voters—far too many. Even existing bars should be reduced, as this severely harms people’s lives.

¶ 12 Further, from 21 September (when the President assumed office) to 5 October, recommendations by MPs were reportedly seen on letters at the Excise Department supporting certain permits. Those letters were collected by the Presidential Secretariat on 5 October. Since the President promised to cancel bribery-based permits, the Government must fulfil that pledge—publish the list of bars and cancel such permits. Otherwise, we are left to conclude that this Government too is succumbing to political pressure or that politicians received bribes.

¶ 13 Similarly, we saw lists of persons who took funds from the President’s Fund or claimed compensation for arson. Merely publishing lists is not enough—recover wrongfully obtained funds.

¶ 14 My motion today focuses on liquor outlets: do not allow a new liquor shop in Periya Nilavanai, Ampara; and disclose the names of MPs who obtained bar permits through bribes. The Government bears the responsibility to act and to maintain the people’s trust by honouring election promises. Thank you.